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CHIPS LUTHER COLLEGE
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“Let the chips fall where they may.”
April 19, 2012
Vol. 134, No. 21
Student loan debt surpasses credit card debt nationally Charlie Parrish
Staff Writer
A recent analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows that the total student loan debt in America reached a staggering $870 billion in the third quarter of 2011, surpassing the nation’s credit card debt of $693 billion. Seventy-one percent of Luther students take out loans to fund their college education at an average $6,415 each semester. For the 2012-2013 academic year, Luther’s comprehensive fee will be $42,170 for tuition, room and board. This is up 3.76 percent from this year’s $40,585. “Nowadays, you are not going to college experience without having some type of loan,” Vice President of Enrollment Management Scot Schaefer said. The average amount of total family debt after a Luther education is $38,336.42. The loan average minus private and parent loans is $23,771.36. “It is important to be savvy about utilizing those resources above and additional outside scholarships and summer earnings to try and minimize indebtedness,” Director of Financial
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Ylvi vandalized over Easter Break Sarah King
Staff Writer
Ylvisaker Hall was vandalized last week by a group of students who poured honey, vegetable oil, beans and pudding in a stairwell. “On Sunday, April 8, members of Luther’s baseball program had a lapse in better judgement as to how they should conduct themselves in the residence halls,” Baseball Head Coach Alex Smith (‘03) said of the baseball team members involved in the incident. One student involved in the vandalism would only agree to an interview under the terms of anonymity. Courtesy of College Board
Up, up and away. Many students have been worried about student loan debt especially since 2010 when it exceeded the national credit card debt. Aid Janice Cordell said. “I can never scholarships that they are going to win one, but I can always guarantee that if they never apply for any they are not going to win any.” Luther graduates have an excellent default rate of just 1.7 percent, compared to the national average of 8.8 percent. A person goes into default when he or she is 180 days past due on making loan payments. When one defaults on a loan the government can seize a portion of their wages. “Our students are leaving Luther and they are able to repay their student loans,” Cordell said. “They
default because they didn’t borrow so much that they can’t afford to pay it.” Still, student loan debt is a big stressor in the life of a college student and especially recent college graduates. “I’m coming out of college having had very generous parents who paid my tuition payments while I was in school,” Bianca Lutchen (‘12) said. “Now, I have a bunch of loans to pay back and I don’t understand; there Student loan debt continued on page 10
Then, the group went to Ylvisaker where the vandalism occurred. “The stairwell in Ylvi had honey and beans poured down it. There was vegetable oil poured on the carpet on he said. Smith explained the consequences of the students’ behavior. “The result of their actions forced members of the Luther community to do a substantial amount of cleaning and replacing of materials to return the hall to its original condition,” Smith said. “The guys responsible for this owned up to their poor decision-making and have met with the student life staff to address the situation.” Director of Residence Life Kris Franzen declined to comment on the incident. In order to atone for their actions, the athletes Ylvi Vandalism continued on page 10
Hulilapi to create orphanage playroom with peace grant Megan Creasey
Staff Writer accused of having witchcraft,” Hulilapi said.
international student has received the Davis Project for Peace grant, which awards $10,000 to a peace-related project proposal created by United World College (UWC) scholars. Isilda Hulilapi’s (‘13) proposal to create a playroom for an orphanage in her home country of Angola won the grant this year. Hulilapi began volunteering at the Lar Kuzola orphanage in 2006. Ever since then, she has wanted to help out. “In my community, there are a lot of children in the street, but I’d never experienced people who’d lost their parents and actually lived together,” Hulilapi said. about focusing just on kids.” The orphanage is home for roughly 300 infants and children who come from a wide variety of situations. “Most of the kids are abandoned, lost their parents in the civil war, were taken from the street or have mental disabilities and are
Hulilapi’s roommate, Noelia Pereira (‘13), who helped Hulilapi through the proposal process, was shocked to learn from Hulilapi how lonely the orphanage was. “Those kids are so lonely,” Pereira said. “Once Isilda told me that when those kids see new people they are so interested, they’re someone is looking out for me.’” Hulilapi hopes to initiate more community involvement with Lar Kuzola, which, due to a challenge. “Angola is becoming very individualistic, but we’re a very poor nation, and this individualistic culture that we’re gaining from the outside has made us very greedy, and we don’t help other people,” Hulilapi said. Through her project, she wants to connect children in the community with children at the orphanage, which has been successful in the past. “When they play games there was no difference [between children not living at the
Courtesy of Isilda Hulilapi
“Focusing just on kids.” Isilda Hulilapi (‘13) volunteering at the orphanage in 2006. orphanage and those who were], but when they are learning, there is a lot of
Peace grant continued on page 10